


Damage Control

by bzou



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Anxious Kuroo, Birthday, Kageyama Rare Pair Week, M/M, again its not a central thing but i dont write allistic kage lmao, autistic kageyama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 06:10:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8960821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bzou/pseuds/bzou
Summary: Kuroo planned the perfect birthday for Kageyama, but it seemed fate had other ideas in mind.





	

**Author's Note:**

> eyy im back with something for kages bday!
> 
> for those that know me for the kurokage longfic Restless, i'm still working on it, it's just been school and writing this thats eaten up time
> 
> this is sort of kind of not really maybe only if you want to believe it is a sequel to Cutie In The Booth

Kuroo, for all intents and purposes, was exceptionally well at appearing calm, cool, and collected. It’s what made him an outstanding volleyball player and student. It’s what made people come to him for advice, be it on school, work, relationships, or just life. Sometimes, it was the only thing that held him together during exam periods or particularly hard papers. Even if he was screaming on the inside for eight days straight, he looked as cool and smug as ever on the outside.

For all his talents, his ability to mask his anxiety was definitely near the top.

But right now, he was losing his cool a bit.

His new friend and _intense_ crush was supposed to be coming over to spend the weekend. Kuroo’d set everything up – he kicked out his roommate, Bokuto; arranged for the perfect pickup time from the train station; found out all the things his crush liked so he could give him the perfect weekend, and, more importantly, the perfect birthday.

Not only was Kageyama’s birthday the Thursday his train pulled up to the platform, but this weekend was Christmas Eve, and although Kuroo never admitted it _out loud_ , he ate that corny couple’s holiday _up_.

He’d planned the whole weekend down to the minute, preparing for any imminent disaster, but what he _didn’t_ plan on was the snow storm threatening the city.

He prayed to every god that was listening to please hold out on dropping a blanket of snow on the fire he was trying to light between him and Kageyama, at least until Sunday passed and he said goodbye.

As much as Kuroo silently pleaded with the weatherman, there was nothing he could do about it and he knew it, so instead of channeling all his energy worrying and sitting in front of the television, he channeled it all into worrying and standing in front of the stove.

First thing on the agenda: dinner. Kuroo didn’t necessarily buy into the whole “the fastest way to a guy’s heart is through his stomach”, but that was before he met Kageyama. That kid _loved_ his food – at least, when it was the right kind. And tonight, for his birthday, he was going to make the _best_ kind: pork curry with egg on top.

He’d done his research, too. Scoured the internet for the best recipe, tested a few of them out, scrutinized every ingredient in the store, _everything_. He was prepared.

His friends called him a perfectionist, as if it was an insult. He didn’t see what could be so negative about wanting things to be perfect, and if things did go smoothly, then it would be well worth the near constant screaming in the back of his mind.

Honestly, if this weekend – if _tonight_ – didn’t work out, he’s not sure what would. After the first time he met Kageyama, he thought it’d be easy to just slip into a relationship with him – it’s not like Kuroo didn’t immediately become smitten after that first meeting – but the more he spent time, and dropped hints, and try to flirt, the more he realized Kageyama was either not getting it or was just straight up not interested.

Kenma suggested he just tell him, straight up, that he likes him and wants to date, and Kuroo _would have_ the first time they hung out, or second, or third, but now they were too far into their friendship that his anxiety kicked his brain into autopilot. He couldn’t make such an obvious move of leaning in to kiss Kageyama, or just confess right there, out in the open and waiting for confusion or worse – rejection.

He waved Kenma off, saying that that’s just not how he _does_ things, but truth be told, he was far too nervous.

And that’s when he made this plan.

This was the last time they’d see each other for almost a month. Between exams and winter break when Kageyama came back to the city for the next semester, this was his last chance before the new year, and Kuroo’d made a resolve – almost a pre-New Year’s resolution – that if he’s going to try to take this plunge, it’d be now or never.

So he planned _extensively_ , for weeks even, so he could create the perfect recipe to finally just make his move. And if this didn’t work, then Kageyama was probably just not interested. Sad – depressing, even – but Kuroo would at least know for sure.

If he was going to take this shot, he was going to make sure the conditions were perfect for the best possible result.

The loud chime of his phone’s ringtone rang from across the apartment, snapping him out of the hypnotic induced state stirring a pot can get you into. He leapt across the living room in search of his phone, spoon abandoned in the kitchen. He’d deliberately turned the volume up to the loudest possible setting so he wouldn’t miss any call from Kageyama, and all it really did was make his heart beat faster, but no sooner _find_ the damn thing.

His heart leapt into his throat when he finally found it, but fell back down again where it belonged when he saw it wasn’t Kageyama calling, but Bokuto.

“What?” he answered, a little annoyed.

“Hey man!” Bokuto seemed unfazed in spite of Kuroo’s bite. “Kageyama there yet?”

“No,” Kuroo sighed, pushing a hand through his hair. “He won’t be here for another hour, probably.”

“Good, I need a favour.”

Kuroo could feel the frustration boil, but he simmered it back down. Still though, the answer was undeniably-

“No.”

“Kuroo!” Bokuto whined. “I’m serious, I wouldn’t be asking if this wasn’t life or death!”

“What is it.”

“I need a ride.”

“What?” Kuroo looked at the phone like it was crazy. Bokuto was crazy. He couldn’t leave now, what the hell was he thinking. “No! I’m supposed to go pick up Kageyama soon.”

“Dude, I’m outside in the snow and it’s _freezing_. Come ooooon!”

“Why the hell are you out in the snow?!”

“Akaashi can’t house me this weekend, he’s... _entertaining_.” Uh-oh. No. No way. “And Daichi won’t let me sleep over, he says he doesn’t want me stinking up his couch!”

“Bo-”

“I gotta come home this weekend, dude.”

“No way!” Kuroo complained. “ _I’m_ entertaining, go stay with Yaku!”

“Kuroo...” Bokuto whined, and Kuroo could practically see Bokuto stamping his foot in the slush on the sidewalk. “I still need a ride, and that’s even _if_ Yaku agrees to let me crash.”

“ _Fine_ ,” Kuroo bit. “I’ll drive you to Yaku’s. Where are you?”

Kuroo hung up, miffed, after he got the coordinates to his frozen, homeless friend. But that’s when _another_ alarm went off.

The fire alarm.

Kuroo rushed into the kitchen to the smell of burning. He swore under his breath, grabbing a hand towel and waving it about with one hand and hiding his face in the crook of his elbow as he surveyed the damage.

What was, a few minutes ago, beautiful pork and vegetables, was now sitting sadly in a dry pan – the curry sauce but a mere memory – blackened and shriveled until it was nearly unidentifiable.

Kuroo felt the anxiety bubble in his chest as he resigned himself to dumping the unsalvageable dinner he had prepared and discarding the steaming pan in the sink to deal with later.

Rather than seizing up in despair and calling everything off, he took a deep breath. The weekend wasn’t over. Kageyama was still coming, and he didn’t know about the disastrous dinner attempt, and his best friend needed him. He shook the anxious feeling from his arms, grabbed his keys and coat, and headed to the parking lot.

 

 

His car stuttered and complained as Kuroo forced the key to turn and the gas pedal to the floor.

“C’mon...” Kuroo pleaded with the old bucket of bolts, a diva when it came to the cold. “Please, please, _please_.”

It sputtered and wheezed and Kuroo was about ready to scream, slamming back into his seat with a loud, frustrated groan. The damn thing was _dead_ , and he swore to every car god that could’ve existed that he was going to _scrap_ the piece of shit for this.

He fished his phone from his pocket and shot Bokuto a text, not in the mood to deal with having to explain to him why his car was dead and he was on the verge of kicking the door in.

Within a few seconds, he got a reply of various sad and crying emojis.

“Oh, fuck off...” he muttered to himself as he messaged his roommate the number for a cab company, hoping that’d be the end of this huge setback.

But while he was no longer picking up Bokuto, he was still left high and dry on transportation for _himself and Kageyama_. His car couldn’t have picked a worse day to go and kick the can, and things were just coming out worse and worse and Kuroo could feel the bile rise and rise and he was ready to _give up_ when his phone dinged again.

_Going to be there next stop. See you soon_

Kuroo took another deep breath – in through the nose, out through the mouth – as he was reminded why he was going through all this shit. Kageyama was coming over. It was his birthday. It was Christmas Eve. It was his _chance_ , and he needed to take it.

He shot Kageyama a reply – _see you soon! Just wait on the platform_ – and topped it off with a few cute emojis that would hopefully make him look like he wasn’t on the edge of a major freak out right now.

It was time for damage control.

He dialed a pizza place and ordered a delivery, fully accepting the fate for the night’s dinner. It wasn’t what he planned, and certainly not what he envisioned, but he’ll make it work. He’ll make it the best damn pizza date Kageyama’d _ever_ been on.

His phone dinged again and he smiled at the message. Who knew one little smiley face could calm him down if it was from the right person.

 

 

The pizza, in addition to the wasted curry ingredients, put enough of a dent in Kuroo’s wallet that he didn’t bother calling a cab for himself, and instead took the subway to go pick Kageyama up.

It was good for him though. Kuroo always found solace in public transportation and crowds. Maybe it was all the hustle and bustle that distracted him, made him feel a part of something bigger while simultaneously feeling small and insignificant. He grew up in the city, and it comforted him. Gave him time to calm down, step back from all the problems his weekend was racking up, and reflect.

When he arrived at the train station, his mood only got better, his heart swelling and his face lighting up when he saw Kageyama waiting on the platform with a duffel bag, looking around a little nervously.

“Hey!” he greeted, waving excitedly. Kageyama visibly eased and waved back as Kuroo approached, throwing his arms around the boy and squeezed. Kageyama patted his back a little awkwardly, but Kuroo learned long ago it wasn’t much of a reflection on how he felt, but just how he was as a person. Sort of awkward, very cute. He pulled away to see a small smile grace Kageyama’s face. “Happy Birthday.”

“Thanks...” Kageyama nodded and looked at his shoes, stuffing his hands in his pockets. If it wasn’t so damn cold out, Kuroo would’ve allowed himself to believe that the pink in his cheeks was a blush and not his body trying to warm itself up.

“How was the trip?” he asked, taking the bag from Kageyama’s shoulder and started making his way back out to the street.

“Okay,” Kageyama replied.

“Glad to be off school for a bit?”

“Yeah.” Kageyama was never huge on conversation, especially when it was just small talk, but Kuroo never really minded. He could certainly talk enough for the both of them.

“Finals are always a killer. One of my profs made the exam purposely _so_ difficult that – and I quote her – no one will get higher than an 80 on it. I’m sure at least half the class failed, honestly.” As he went off on a tangent about his difficult class and unfair professor, the two made their way back to the subway, only stopping so Kuroo could buy Kageyama a weekend pass.

The platform was busier than it was when he got off about twenty minutes ago, city-goers huddling together in the underground for warmth like a flock of penguins. The weather wasn’t letting up, but at least it wasn’t getting any worse.

Kageyama shifted closer to Kuroo, most likely in an effort to not get lost, he figured.

“It’s only a few stops to my block,” Kuroo said. Kageyama just nodded, a little uncomfortable, as the train pulled up to the platform and crowds filed on and off in a current of bodies.

Kuroo kept Kageyama close and moved him off to a corner of the car, close enough to the doors still that they could make a quick getaway without blocking them.

As the train lurched to life again, Kageyama looked more and more uncomfortable as the people on the train shuffled together, bumping and jostling him. His discomfort did not go unnoticed – not the pinched brows or pursed lips or the way Kageyama refused to look from his shoes – and Kuroo remembered. Kageyama wasn’t big on crowds. Especially crowds so close and packed tight into a little sardine can moving fast on an underground track.

It’s not like Kageyama’d ever told him, but it was something he noticed a while ago and made a point to avoid, but tonight, between his dinner burning, his roommate SOS’ing, and his car kicking the can, it _totally slipped his mind_. He was so used to the tightly-packed bustle of the city that he forgot Kageyama still _wasn’t_.

How could he be so _stupid_ and _insensitive_ , god, Kageyama was going to _hate_ him he was blowing his chances and everything he worked towards and wanted so bad with such a stupid fucking mistake like this.

Damage control.

That was becoming a mantra for him, but it was time for another dosage of damage control.

He took Kageyama gently by the shoulders and shuffled them around until he was backed into the far corner and away from people, Kuroo acting as a wall. He took a step back – as much as he could with the crowd – to give Kageyama a little bit of space, and put the dufflebag between them.

Kageyama stared at him. This time, it was Kuroo’s turn for a little discomfort, looking everywhere but at the other, but Kageyama was known for his intense stares. Kuroo was just rarely on the receiving end, he thought.

God, Kageyama _did_ hate him, he was staring daggers into him. The second they stepped off the train he was going to shove Kuroo into the tracks for putting him in such a horrible situation.

They stood in awkward silence for the remainder of the trip, Kuroo’s head buzzing with all the possibilities and facts of why he’d ruined the weekend already and that there may be no coming back from this. What was he going to say when they got off? Sorry I forgot you’re scared of crowds? Sorry I thought you _liked_ being packed in a tin can like a sardine? His head was a whirlwind of nervous thoughts and internal screaming that he barely noticed the announcer call their stop and the train come to a halt.

They disembarked the train with a small crowd and made their way back up to the streets, Kuroo highly aware of Kageyama trailing behind him. Once back on the street and away from others, Kageyama was able to walk alongside Kuroo again.

Kuroo really didn’t know what to say, and when he opened his mouth to babble nonsensical apologies and try to make light of the shitty situation, Kageyama stopped him.

“Thanks,” he said.

Kuroo closed his open mouth, quirked his brow, opened his mouth again, and then shook his head. “Sorry,” he began. “What?”

“Thanks,” Kageyama said again. “For switching places with me. On the train.”

Kuroo, although surprised by the non-disastrous result, felt like he could breathe again. Instead of asking any further questions, he just said, “No problem. Crowds aren’t your thing, right?”

Kageyama shook his head. “Nah.”

They fell into another silence, this time a comfortable one, for the remainder of their short walk. If Kuroo wasn’t so busy smiling to himself, he may  have noticed the small smile that appeared on his company’s face.

 

 

Shortly after they defrosted themselves in front of Kuroo’s room heater, the pizza arrived. The burnt smell had luckily no longer lingered in the apartment, and if Kageyama stayed out of the kitchen, then he’d be none the wiser about Kuroo’s disastrous dinner attempt.

They piled together on the couch as the wind whistled outside, TV turned on but playing low as they caught up.

“I’m a little worried about the marks I’ll be bringing back home,” Kageyama said, leaning across Kuroo to grab another piece of pizza from the box and using one hand to help balance all the melty, cheesy goodness. “My dad’s still not big about my program, but he’ll be pleasant if I get decent enough marks.”

“Did you talk to him at all today?” Kuroo asked through a mouthful of pizza. “Or your mom?”

“Yeah, they called me to wish me a happy birthday, but honestly, I’m glad I’m not there tonight.”

Kuroo snorted. “Not a very fun birthday if you gotta spend it at home with your parents, huh?”

Kageyama fought a smile and Kuroo’s heart leapt in his chest. “You could say that.” Kageyama pulled his legs up onto the couch. “Plus, I’m kinda... glad you invited me over.”

Kuroo’s heart took another leap, this time into his throat. “I’m glad I could actually... do something. For you. For your birthday. Y’know.” He shrugged, trying to play it casual while his brain yelled at him to do _something_. Playing things off was his go-to and defense mechanism, though, and it was hard to unlearn.

Kageyama nodded, stuffing his face with his pizza slice.

If there was ever an opportunity to confess how he really felt, Kuroo missed it just then. He was kicking himself inside. Was it time for damage control again? Was there any damage to be controlled? Was it even _in_ his control, or was it something he’d just have to deal with forever, lying awake in his bed at night tomorrow, next week, next _year_ remembering how he missed his fucking chance when it was presented to him on a platter.

“It stopped snowing.” Kuroo snapped out of his little spiral into despair to see Kageyama looking out the window. The sun had gone down long ago, the day turning into evening, and the snow had finally ceased.

Kuroo would’ve been staring out the window, too, if Kageyama didn’t look like that. Eyes wide, a little wistful, a little awe-inspired, and Kuroo was, for the lack of a better, not-cheesy term, breath-taken. Kageyama didn’t even know how beautiful he could be, and how far Kuroo’d fallen in the last few months for his new friend, and how his mouth sometimes moved faster than his brain when he suddenly asked Kageyama-

“Wanna go out?”

Kageyama turned back to Kuroo. “Where?”

Kuroo shrugged. “There’s probably something going down in the square about a block from here if you wanted to go.” Kageyama hesitated, looking like he was debating staying inside and warm or going out and actually doing something. “It’s up to you. It’s your birthday.”

Kageyama took another few seconds before he finally shrugged and nodded. “Sure, why not.”

 

 

Kuroo was right, there was something happening close by. What Kuroo forgot, however, was how close it was to Christmas Eve, one of the big couples’ holidays of the year. So that’s all they ran into. Couples.

Couples holding hands, couples huddling close, couples laughing and kissing and being so in love and just   _couples_. And here he brought Kageyama. God, he must be so uncomfortable.

But, although Kuroo was highly aware of all the couples walking by, taking pictures in front of the trees wrapped with lights or sharing a hot drink on a bench, Kageyama seemed to not have noticed. Instead, he just kept on walking, eyes ahead and looking as lost in his own world as ever.

It briefly eased the tension Kuroo felt in his shoulders.

They walked in silence, and Kuroo distracted himself by looking around at all the beautiful decorations – the lamp posts wrapped with red ribbon like candy, the trees lit up with thousands of little white and blue lights, the leafy garlands wound around store front fences. He tried his best not to get distracted by the way they shone in Kageyama’s dark eyes, or how they brought out the blue in them, or how the cold made his cheeks grow rosy.

He tried, but his resolve weakened and broke when Kageyama raised his hands to his face, clad in knit fingerless gloves, to breathe hot air on them.

Kuroo just wanted to take them in his own. Take them in his own cracked, rough hands, worn from work and school, nails bitten to the nub and beds picked till they were raw. He wanted to allow himself to take Kageyama’s surprisingly well-kept hands in his own... less than satisfactory ones. Even if he didn’t think he was entirely worthy.

At least to keep the boy’s hands warm.

Kageyama stopped walking, and it took Kuroo a second to notice, too caught up in his hand-holding fantasy and picking the skin around his thumb.

“What’s up?” he asked, taking a few steps back to be beside Kageyama again.

Kageyama nodded his chin in the direction of an ice rink, made along the path of a local, albeit packed, park. In the summer, it was one of Kuroo’s favourite spots to hang out with friends, but in the winter, the city froze the path and turned it into an ice rink, setting up benches and a shack for renting skates.

“Do you ice skate?” Kuroo asked, lopsided smile returning to his face.

“No.” Kageyama shook his head.

“Did you... wanna try?”

Kageyama looked at Kuroo for a second, then back at the rink, before nodding.

Now, Kuroo wasn’t an expert in ice skating – as a kid, he was a fan of ice hockey and wanted to try, but quickly found he wasn’t an expert skater – but he could hold his own. But after renting skates for the two of them and venturing out onto the ice, he found he was a professional in comparison to Kageyama, who looked more like a baby deer just finding his bearings.

Kuroo laughed, skating back to Kageyama, teetering on the edge trying to regain his balance.

“Need help?” he asked, unable to keep the shit-eating grin from his face.

“Shut up...” Kageyama mumbled, shooting him a glare. He tried taking a step in the skates, but stumbled. Kuroo, quick as ever, caught Kageyama and helped him stand up straight again, grip firm on his shoulders.

“Easy there, Bambi.” He couldn’t resist, it was worth the glare and little shove from Kageyama. “Why would you want to skate if you’re so bad at it.”

“Give me a break,” Kageyama mumbled. “I’m new to this.”

“Here.” Kuroo took Kageyama’s hands, and began to skate slowly backwards, guiding Kageyama out onto the ice and along the path, well out of the way of other people.

Kageyama looked a little miffed that he needed help just standing on skates, much less moving, but Kuroo relished in the way he squeezed his hands whenever he’d stumble and drifted till just their fingertips touched when he fell behind.

Kageyama was so beautiful, so graceful on the court, that seeing him on the ice was a memory Kuroo would forever cherish.

The memory only grew sweeter when Kuroo came to a gentle stop and Kageyama, unable to stop himself, glided into him with a soft “Oof...”

“Starting to get it?” Kuroo asked with a small smile.

“Sorta.” If Kuroo could choose any expression Kageyama made that he loved most, it was definitely his focused face, but the kind he made on something new, something he couldn’t quite grasp and outside his area of expertise. It was the same one he made when Kuroo helped him with his studies, or when he played one of his and Bokuto’s video games. Eyes trained on the task, tongue peeking out on his bottom lip, or off to the corner of his mouth, brows furrowed in intense concentration. It was the face he was making now, trying to keep his feet together instead of drifting apart and still standing.

Kuroo couldn’t help but stare, and, luckily (the first stroke of luck for him that day), people left a wide berth around them so they didn’t bump into anyone.

Out of the corner of his eye, though, Kuroo noticed something. Again, he found Kageyama and himself _surrounded_ by couples. Again, he felt the embarrassment rise, especially with their proximity. Did Kageyama notice this, too? Was he uncomfortable? Did he want Kuroo to let him go so he can just have a lap around the rink himself or fall flat on his face? Did everyone _else_ think they were a couple?

That last thought he didn’t mind as much, and even, in fact, indulged in a bit. But he couldn’t help but think Kageyama would find this uncomfortable, and his face flushed with shame and embarrassment.

“Kuroo?” Kageyama asked. “Are you okay?”

“Hm?” Kuroo snapped back to reality. “Oh, um. Yeah. I’m okay.” He couldn’t fight the squeeze he gave to Kageyama’s hands.

“You’ve been acting a little weird today.” Kageyama quirked his mouth to the side. “And your face is all red. Are you sick?”

“No,” Kuroo huffed out a laugh. “No, I’m not sick.” Lovesick, maybe. Anxiously sick, definitely. But he doesn’t think that’s what Kageyama meant.

Kageyama gave him a look. A surprising I-know-you’re-lying-don’t-try-to-fool-me look he could honestly say he’s never seen on Kageyama’s face before. For someone so unperceptive when it came to people, Kageyama was doing a bang on job right now.

Kuroo took a deep breath, starting to actually feel physically sick to his stomach. “Today’s just been... a ride.” Kageyama stayed quiet, letting Kuroo continue. “I burned your birthday dinner, couldn’t pick up Bokuto _or_ you ‘cause my car died, dragged you in a crowded train, and our plans for the night basically boil down to find whatever the fuck we can do.” And then it struck him, and his eyes widened in horror and disbelief. “ _And_ ,” he continued, squeezing his eyes shut and leaning back, “I fucking _forgot_ your gift!”

Kuroo inwardly cringed and outwardly groaned, nearly missing the small, quiet laugh from Kageyama and the way he pulled Kuroo back to stand up straight.

“Kuroo,” he said, and oh God, Kuroo didn’t deserve to be smiled at like that. “It’s fine. Seriously.”

“Not really, I fucked everything up today.”

“Kuroo,” Kageyama said, serious and back straight now. It seems he finally found his balance on ice. “You’ve done more than enough for me.” When Kuroo opened his mouth to protest, Kageyama continued, barreling him over. “I saw the pans in the kitchen. I’ve seen my fair share of burnt curry before. Even if it wasn’t successful, I appreciate it.” He smiled. “I like pizza anyway.

“I don’t mind taking the subway, and you still blocked me from the crowd, which you _really_ didn’t need to do, and like... thanks.” Was that a blush, or the cold again? “I really appreciate it. I don’t... really know anyone that would even do something if I _told_ them. It was... i-it was nice.

“And I don’t mind just dicking around the city.” He shrugged. “Honestly, not a lot of people even remember my birthday, and it’s usually snowed out anyway. I don’t need to make any big plans, just this... _this_ is fine.”

Kuroo was... taken back, to say the least. Kageyama’s little speech was enough to quell the storm in his stomach enough for Kuroo to actually feel... _okay._

“Besides,” Kageyama began again, and this time, Kuroo actually allowed himself to believe that that _was_ a blush that crept up on the boy’s cheeks, and that the reason he looked away wasn’t out of discomfort or hatred, but something else, “I don’t really... need a gift. Like this – tonight, the weekend, b-being here? Y’know...” He slid a bit in place, an awkward shuffle on ice. “With you? It’s... it’s enough.”

Kuroo felt his heart leap and the weight lift off his shoulders. He felt the words seep through his coat and scarf and into his skin and bones and it made him think.

He didn’t mess this up. He didn’t miss his chance. His chance was now, and _fuck_ , he was going to _take it_.

He let the newfound feeling of weightlessness guide him, leaning in and tilting his head down, pulling Kageyama’s hands closer in his own, and when Kageyama didn’t pull away, but only grow _more_ pink, letting out a small, shuddering breath into the cold night air, Kuroo took his chance.

Kageyama’s lips were warm and welcome from the frozen air and he couldn’t quite believe what was happening, but if the flutter in his chest was any indication, it was real. The way Kageyama squeezes his hands tight was real, and the way he drifted closer still was real, and the way he leaned up into the kiss was real and it was _all real_ and Kuroo couldn’t help lingering, keeping the kiss soft and gentle but _long_ , he never wanted to separate. If they froze like this, he wouldn’t regret it.

Kageyama was the one to pull away eventually, but it was Kuroo’s turn to feel his cheeks heat up when he saw the smile spread on Kageyama’s face. He never pegged himself to be the one embarrassed after their first kiss, and _oh god, their first kiss_. Kuroo was still reeling from the reality of it all.

“I was waiting for you to do that,” Kageyama said.

Kuroo was on the verge of laughing – by what he said, by the situation, by the fact this happened in a cheesy romantic spot on an ice rink near a goddamn lit up Christmas tree – but he just rolled his eyes, plastering his smug smile as always. “Consider it your birthday gift.”

This time, though, his casual air wasn’t a mask for his anxiety.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos/comments/bookmarks/shares/anything really is MUCH appreciated!
> 
> Find me on tumblr @ tobieaux and twitter @ bewarebzou


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